Floor mat construction



May 2.8, 1940. J. H4 MCCLELLAND 2,202,536

FLOOR MAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 24, 1937 l/l//l/I,

NVENTOR X04 H. M15@ @am MT @FWN Patented May 28, 194i()` -'fUN1T1-m STATI-:fs PATENT orifice 25,202,636 FLOOR MATCONSTRUCTION John H. McClelland, Ferndale, Mich.

Application v '5 Claims.

-The object of my invention is to construct' a floorV mat lof the link type wherein `the individual links of the mat are secured together in an improved manner. f l. :.5 Arfurther object of my invention is to provide 'link type' oor mats which will be uniform in size, especially in width. My improved iloo-r mat is adaptedto be manufactured in large quantities tovery clo'se dimensions. This feature is vof great importance because my mat is intended to bev used with a pan shaped, molded rubber container in which the mat is resiliently secured by thel edges of the container. These containers are, of course, molded to a uniform size and only the rim resiliently grips the edges of the mat tol retain -same therein. All other link mats known to the applicant vary in width vto such an extent that they cannot be commercially manufactured for use in the above-mentioned containers, some being too loose and others so wide that they cannot be inserted' without breaking the edges.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a link type floor mat which may be rolled :25 up, like a rug, and which will, whenA so rolled, `possess suflicient bending strength that it may be lifted by its center portion without 'permanently bending any of the link pivot pins. The lateral bending resistance of link type mats is obtained solely by thelink pivot pins which have heretofore been formed only as solid rods. When such rods were formed suiiiciently large to provide an appreciable bending resistance, their Weight necessarily increased to thereby increase vthe iit was lifted by one end or by the center. It is extremely important that the rods do not receive `a permanent bend when so lifted because in such case the mat will not lay flat' when unrolled. In my Aimproved construction, I provide-tubular pivot pins which function to materially increase the lateral strength of my mat without increasing its weight over the formersolid` rod type construction.y Thus a wider mat A may be handled by one y.person than was possible with theolder type mats.

Still ,a further object of my invention is to `provide an improved means for preventing axial movement of the link pivot pins relative'to the links.` v

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the arrangement, `construction and'combination of the various parts of my 55 improvedmat, as described in the specication,

force tending to bend the rodswhen the mat' December 24, 1937, serial No. 181,623

claimed in my claims, and illustrat'ed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure .l is. a. plan View section of my improved mat and container for holding` same.

Figure 2 is a full size plan View of one corner 5 portion of the mat and container shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional View, taken upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a. sectional view, taken upon the l0 line 4--4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5is a sectional view, similar to Fig. l, but showing an alternate means for retaining the links upon the link pivot pins.

Referring to the accompanying drawing; I have shown the molded rubber container in which my improved mat is adapted to be inserted. This container comprises a iiat bottom portion IIl having a rim II molded integrally therewith which extends around the bottom I0 to form a rectangular containen The rim Ii is tapered from a thin section at its outer edge to a relatively thick section at its inner edge and the wall I2 which extends upwardly from the bottom il! to theinside edge oi the rim is molded to extend diagonally inwardly.

The purpose of the aforementioned container is to forni a collector for water, dirt and the like soy that the container with a mat therein may be laid over a polished lioor or. rug and still 3U dirt or water which is caught bythe mat will not be allowed to lt'er through to theA rug, or thefiloor. My improved mat is adapted to vbe built in a shape to t the aforementioned container.

. It is required that the mat must be readily removable from the container so that the dirt and water collected therein may be conveniently cleaned out without disturbing the container. Further, the mat should be held within the container so that it will not accidentally crumple up, to thus form an obstruction over whichl people might trip. To form such a mat` I provide a plurality of molded rubber links I3, each of which has a width slightly greater than its thickness, both sides of which have traction grooves I4 extending crosswise therethrough. 'I'he ends of the links I3 are rounded and provided with spaced parallel openings I5 extending theren through along the axes of their rounded ends. 50

I'Ihe links are preferably molded in several colors so that they may be assembled to form a 'variety of patterns or designs. In assembling, the links are ,arranged crosswise in rows with veach link spaced from the next the width of lone link. The rows of links are interlocked or do-vetailed together so that the openings in the links in one row are axially aligned with the openings in the links in the adjacent rows, respectively.

The applicant is aware that mats of this same general description have been provided in the past, but all of these differ from the construction herein shown in that wires usually of hair-pin shape were inserted through the aligned openings in, the links. The open ends of these hairpins were bent in opposite directions and usually joined to the adjacent hair-pins by sleeves. This construction has the disadvantage that the links adjacent to the ends of each hair-pin are deformed, due to the bending of the hair-pin atv the ends. Further, for the reason that the open ends of the links must be bent after the links have been assembled thereon, a uniform bend cannot be made, as would be possible could the hair-pin be held in a die against which the'ends could be bent. Consequently, all of such mats have varied materially in width. If such mats are used with the above-described containers, the rims of the container will only loosely t some of the mats While others will be so large that the user cannot conveniently remove and reinsert the mat when the container is being cleaned.

In the applicants construction, this defect is overcome by providing tubular pivot pins I6 which extend through each row of aligned openings I5. The ends of the pins I6 are flush with the outer edges of the link assembly. A ferrule or grommet I'I is inserted in each edge link adjacent to the ends of the tubes -I5 and drive screw I8 is driven into the ends of these tubular pins, as shown in Figure 3. The tubes I5 are not tapped, it only being required that the screws be of such size that they may be conveniently driven in place by a light blow from a hammer.

The screws I8 are provided with relatively large heads I9 which prevent the ferrules I1 from sliding oi the tubes. Inasmuch as the tubes I6 may be inexpensively cut to a uniform length, it will be apparent that mats formed with Such tubes will be of uniform width.

It may be desired, where many mats are to be produced and the cost of special machines is not therefore objectionable, to provide the alternate means, shown in Figure 5, for preventing the links from sliding off the tubular pins. In this construction the tubes I6 are formed somewhat longer than the width of the mat and the ends thereof flanged outwardly over the grommets II to form anges 20. This method dispenses with the screws I8 but requires the use of a special flanging machine.

Several unexpected advantages arise from the use of either construction above described. One of these advantages is that, due to the greater rigidity against bending of a tubular pivot over a wire pin of the same weight, the mat constructed with such tubular pivots is much stiier laterally than a mat of the same weight having wire pivots. My improved mat may thus be removed from the container, rolled up and taken out to be cleaned with far less danger of bending permanently any pivot. Of course, the older type of wire pivot pins may be made with a diameter as large as the tubes I6 and they will have an equivalent rigidity, but in this case the free ends of the hair-pins cannot beV bent laterally, as has been the custom. Furthermore, the extra weight unavoidable with hair-pins of such large section makes the mat clumsy to handle and causes excessive bending stresses in the pivotfpins when the mat is rolled upaiid lifted from its center or ends. If the pins once become bent, it is practically impossible to straighten same without taking the mat to pieces.

Probably the most important advantage of my construction is that the mat may be commercially I manufactured for use with the above-described container. In this case it is extremely important that the width of the mat be maintained vwithin close limits so that when the mat is laid in the container and pressed down, it will snap between the inclined walls I2 and be thereby held in position. The old-style mat could not be manufactured commercialy Within the desired limits and would for this reason be unsatisfactory when used with a container.v

Some changes may be made in the arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts of my improved mat construction without departing from the spirit of my invention and it is my intentionv to' cover by my claims such changes as may reasonably be included Within the scope thereof. l

I claim as my invention: i 1. In combination, a` container having a relatively thin at bottom and having an inwardly extending rim therearound, amat adapted to snugly iit intosaid container, said mat compris;

ing a plurality of rectangular shaped links'having parallel openings in the respective ends of Veach* link, said links being assembled crosswise in rows with each link spaced from the adjacent linksv and with the ends of said links inserted between the links in the adjacent rows suilciently that the openings in the interlocked end portions are axially aligned, grommets disposed in the ends of each row of openings, tubular pins extending i,

through each vof said alignedrows of openings, around which said links pivot, the ends o f said tubular member being iianged outwardly over said grommets to prevent axial movement of said pins .relative to said links, said flanged portions of said pins coacting with the rim of said container to resiliently retain said mat therein.

2,. In combination, a container having a rela-` tively flat bottom of molded rubber and having an inwardly extending rim therearound, a mat adapted to be resiliently secured in said container, said mat comprising a plurality of molded rubber rectangular shaped links having parallel openings in the respective ends of each link, said links being assembled crosswise in rows with each link spaced from the adjacent links, and with the ends of said links inserted between the links in the adjacent rows sufficiently that the openings in the interlocked end portions are axially aligned, tubular pivot .pins extending through each of said aligned rows of openings around which said pins pivot, and a drive screw inserted in the ends of each of said tubular pins which prevent axial movement of said pins relative to said links, the heads of said drive screws coacting with the rim of said container to resiliently retain the mat in said container. 3. In combination, a container having a relatively at bottom of moulded rubber and having an inwardly extending rim therearound, a mat adapted to be resiliently secured in said container, said mat .comprising of a plurality of moulded rubber rectangular-shaped links having parallel openings in the respective ends of each link, said links being assembled crosswise iin rows with each ylink spaced from the adjacent links, the ends of said links being inserted ,between the links infthe adjacent rowssuiiiciently that the openings in the inter-locked end portions lare axially aligned, pivot pins extending through each of said aligned. rows of openings,

'said pins being independently rotatable relative to each other, and a retaining device secured to each end of each pin, each of said retaining devices having a head which extends radially beyond the openings in said links and prevents axial displacement of said pins, and the heads of said devices coacting with the rim of said container to resiliently retain'the mat in said container.

4. In combination, a container having a relatively flat bottom with an inwardly extending flexible rubber rim extending therearound, a mat adapted to be resiliently secured in said container by meansv of said rim, said mat comprising a a plurality of links with pivot pins extending through suitable openings therein so as to form a. flexible mat, the ends of said pins projecting from the edges of said mat sufficiently to co-act with said inwardly extending rim and 'thereby resiliently retain said mat within said container.

5. In combination, a container having a relatively flat bottom of molded rubber with an inwardly extending iiexible rubber rim extending therearound, amat adapted to be resiliently secured in said vcontainer by means of said rim, said mat comprising a plurality of molded rubber rectangular-shapedy links having parallel openings at the respective ends of each link, said i are axially aligned, pivot pins extending through-y each of said aligned rows of openings and means associated with the ends of said pins which presaid means vcoasting with said rim to resiliently retain said mat in said container.

JOHN MCCLELLAND.

rvent the withdrawal of the pins from said links, 

